Vehicle with a four bar link suspension system provided with improved roll characteristics
AssigneeVolvo Group North America, LLC
InventorsGregory Paul Kiselis, Michael Alwyn Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a vehicle and a method for improving the roll characteristics of a vehicle. The vehicle includes an axle, a sprung mass, a first control arm, a second control arm, a third control arm, a first pivotable joint, a second pivotable joint, a third pivotable joint, and a fourth pivotable joint. The torsional stiffness of the first control arm, the second control arm, the first pivotable joint, the second pivotable joint, the third pivotable joint, and the fourth pivotable joint are substantially equal to or greater than the torsional stiffness of the axle, whereby the axle bends and twists during a sprung mass roll event in order to limit an amount of roll.
Claims20
A vehicle, comprising:
- an axle provided with a torsional stiffness and a first end and a second end;
- a sprung mass, including a frame, mounted to the axle whereby the sprung mass may roll relative to the axle;
- a first control arm that longitudinally locates the first end of the axle relative to the frame and includes a torsional stiffness;
- a second control arm that longitudinally locates the second end of the axle relative to the frame and includes a torsional stiffness;
- a third control arm that laterally locates the axle relative to the frame;
- a first pivotable joint that pivotably connects the first control arm to the first end of the axle, the first pivotable joint provided with a torsional stiffness;
- a second pivotable joint that pivotably connects the first control arm to the frame, the second pivotable joint provided with a torsional stiffness;
- a third pivotable joint that pivotably connects the second control arm to the second end of the axle, the third pivotable joint provided with a torsional stiffness;
- a fourth pivotable joint that pivotably connects the second control arm to the frame, the fourth pivotable joint provided with a torsional stiffness;
- and
- the torsional stiffness of the first control arm, the second control aim, the first pivotable joint, the second pivotable joint, the third pivotable joint, and the fourth pivotable joint are substantially equal to or greater than the torsional stiffness of the axle, whereby the axle bends and twists during a sprung mass roll event in order to limit an amount of roll.
A method for improving the roll characteristics of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- providing an axle including a first end, a second end and a torsional stiffness;
- providing a sprung mass, including a frame, mounted to the axle whereby the sprung mass may roll relative to the axle;
- providing a first control arm that longitudinally locates the first end of the axle relative to the frame and includes a torsional stiffness;
- providing a second control arm that longitudinally locates the second end of the axle relative to the frame and includes a torsional stiffness;
- providing a third control arm that laterally locates the axle relative to the frame;
- providing a first pivotable joint that pivotably connects the first control arm to the first end of the axle and includes a torsional stiffness;
- providing a second pivotable joint that pivotably connects the first control arm to the frame and includes a torsional stiffness;
- providing a third pivotable joint that pivotably connects the second control arm to the second end of the axle and includes a torsional stiffness;
- providing a fourth pivotable joint that pivotably connects the second control arm to the frame and includes a torsional stiffness;
- and
- selecting the torsional stiffness of the first control arm, the second control arm, the first pivotable joint, the second pivotable joint, the third pivotable joint, and the fourth pivotable joint to be substantially equal to or greater than the torsional stiffness of the axle, whereby the axle bends and twists during a sprung mass roll event in order to limit an amount of roll.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.